Inflatable packer well tool



Dec. 8, 1964 B. c. MALONE 3,160,211

I INFLATABLE PACKER WELL TOOL Filed Aug. 9, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

MiG/" 4K v ATTO/P/VEKJ I Dec. 8, 1964 Filed Aug. 9, 1961 B. C. MALONE INFLATABLE PACKER WELL TOOL 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 B. C. MALONE INFLATABLE PACKER WELL TOOL 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 .5//{y C. Mar/006* INVENTOR- BYW 7M Dec. 8, 1964 Filed Aug. 9, 1961 United States Patent 3,166,211 KNFLATABLE EAtll illll WEL T4391 Billy Q Malone, Houston, Tex assignor to Lynes, End, a eorporatien of Texas Filed Aug. 9, 1961, Ser. No. 13%,3ll5 11 Claims. (6!. 166-487) The present invention relates to a well tool, and more particularly to a well tool and a valve arrangement therefor.

The present invention relates to an improvement ofthe invention disclosed in my application bearing Patent No. 3,085,628 which issued on April 16, 1963 for inflatable Well Tool.

The present invention relates to an inflatable well tool, and more particularly to an inflatable well tool which incorporates features whereby the well tool may be set in a well Without necessarily manipulating the support string on which the inflatable element is lowered into the well.

An object of the present invention is to provide a well tool which may be quickly and easily lowered into a well bore and expanded to set in the Well bore.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a well tool incorporating an expandable element thereon and valve means which is operable after the expanded means have been expanded to lock the expanding fluid within the expanding means.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a valve arrangement for a well tool wherein an expandable means is to be expanded and set in a well bore wherein the valve is constructed and arranged so that it is locked in open position until a predetermined amount of pressure is exerted to set the expanding means in the well bore whereupon the valve means is actuated to close and lock the expanding fluid within the expanding means.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide in a well tool with an expandable means, a means of closing oil the expandable means to further inflating fluid upon a predetermined fluid pressure difierential between the fluid pressure in the well bore and the fluid pressure in the expandable means.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide in a well tool with an expandable means a means of locking the expanding fluid within the expandable means upon a predetermined pressure dilte rential existing between the fluid pressure in the well and fluid pressure in the expandable means.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent from a consideration of the following description and drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical section of a well bore illustrating a well tool with expandable means thereon which is expanded or set in the well bore;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial vertical sectional view illustrating the structural details of the upper head when the valve means is in open position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of FIG. 2 to more clearly illustrate the structural relationship of the components of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of P16. 2 and illustrates a form of the means utilized to control the functioning of the valve means;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged partial sectional view showing the relation of the valve means to other components after the valve means has been actuated to seal on" the expandable means;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the inner part of the tool elevated relative to the packer; and

FIG. 7 is a continuation of FIG. 6 and shows the position of the tool components when the packer is deflated.

V of the upper head 20 bythe engaging threaded area desnected sections.

Patented Dec. 8, 1964 "ice In FIG. 1, the well bore is generally indicated by the numeral 6. In some instances, the well bore 6 will be provided with lining such as pipe or the like and in other instances it may be an open hole which has no lining. T he present invention may be used in either situation.

The present invention is designated generally by the numeral 7 and is supported within the well bore 6 on any suitable means such as the support member 8, which is illustrated in FIG. 1 as being well pipe. The supporting member 8 extends to the earths surface and provides a means whereby the invention 7 may be initially lowered into the well bore 6 and positioned therein and thereafter removed from the well bore. Also, if the member 8 is pipe, such pipe forms a means for conducting well fluids from the formation 15 up through the tool illustrated generally at 9 and to the earths surface.

An expandable means or element designated generally at 22 is provided on the tool 9 and is illustrated in FIG.

1 of the drawings in expanded or set position. The tool 9 including expandable means 22 is supported on a tubular member 10, and the tubular member 10 is in turn adapted to be connected to the support means 8 shown as pipe in FIG. 1. The tubular member 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings extends through the,

through the plug 12 and depending portion 11 of the tubular member 10 whereby the well fluids from the formation 15 are conducted through the expandable means 22 set in the well bore 6 and through tubular member 10 up to the well bore.

Circumferentially spaced and longitudinally extending grooves 16 are provided in the depending portion 11 of the tubular member 10 and form leak pasage means whereby the expandable means 22 of tool 9 may be released from expanded position in the well bore 6 when desired, as will be described in greater detail hereinafter.

The well tool 9 includes spaced annular heads designated generally by the numerals 2t) and 21 in FIG. 1

of the drawings. The expandable means designated generally by the numeral 22 extends between and is connected to the heads 20 and 21 as shown in the drawings.

The upper head 20 includes the annular portions 25, 26, and 29 which are connected together as shown in FIG. 2 by suitable means such as threads 27 and 3 respectively. Suitable seal means 28' are provided between the members 25 and 26 to inhibit the leakage of fluid therebetween.

The tubular member is is connected to the portion 26 ignated generally at 32 in FIG. 2 of the drawings. The tubular member 10 may be formed of several longitudinal sections that extend through the packer tool 9, such sections being connected together by any suitable means such as by the threads 33 as shown in FIG. 2. Suitable seals as shown at 34 may be provided between the longitudinal sections forming the tubular member 10 to inhibit the leakage of fluid from between the threadedly con- Additionally, suitable seal means are provided at 35 between the portion 26 of the head 2% and the tubular member 10 to further inhibit leakage of fluid therebetween and a suitable seal 37 is provided between the portion 26 and tubular member 10 to prevent well fluid which is conducted into the tool through port means "ill from passing between the member 10 and annular head portion 26.

It is to be noted that the longitudinally extending porarauaii cal means 43; 44, and-i longitudinally spaced on they 'alve means 42. to sealbetween the tubular member 19 ,nd the valve means 42Has will'be described'in greater letail hereinafter; Similarly, suitable spaced seal means l6 and 47 are provided between the portion 26 of the ipper packer head 20 and the sleeve valve. 4-2, to seal herebetween.

The expandable rneans 22' as illustrated in FIG. 2 of hedrawings includes. suitable cover means represented t 5% forengaging and sealingagainst the wall of the vellbore 6 and suitable reinforcing represented by the iumeral 51 is provided for reinforcing the expandable neans 22. An inner covering or inner tube. 52 is shown LS beingtprovided which surrounds thetubular member Lilian-d extends longitudinally of reinforcing 5'1 and outer :over, means 50, the end of the'inner tube 52 being re- :eivedwithin-the wedgemember 53 as shown in FIG. 2; the wedge member 53 engages the upper end of the einforcing 511 in the packer head 2G to aid in initially ecuringfl-andvretainmg thecomponents of the expandable neans, 22 engaged with the packer heads during expanion andrcontractionthereof.

The construction in lower packer head 21 is similar 11 that wedge members 53are provided for aiding in lolding the reinforcing inthe lower head and for re- :eiving the end of the tube 52'; Cover means 56 may )6 bonded to. each of the heads 29 and Zrinany suitible Well-known manner.

It cansbe appreciatedthat any. suitable form of exandable means 22 rnay be employedwith the present nvention without departingfrom the scope of the illvention as disclosed and claimed herein.

Suitable port or passage means as represented generally at 60 are provided in the tubular member where- )y expanding or inflating fluid may be conducted from he tubular member to the. expandable means 22. To :hisend, a port G l-is provided in the sleeve valve 42, and as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings, is initially aligned with the port means 6% in the tubular member it Itrwill be noted that, the chamber 41 formed be- :weenthe tubular member liland the head portion 26 .ncludes anenlarged annular portion 65 formed in the wall Vofhead 26 extending longitudinally thereof where- Jy fluid conducted'from the port means as and 64 will Flow throughthe enlarged portion 65, to be discharged into the portmeans ssofsleeve valve d2below the seal means 45. The fluid will then flow through the annular space 67' formed'betweenthejvalve means 42 and tubular member 1163' to be discharged into the expandable means 22 to effect inflation thereof.

The portrneans'7il-in upper packer head 2% extends through the portion 26 of'the packer head 25 and communicates with the chamber 41in the packer head 29' whereby fluid pressure in the Well bore 6 may'passtherethrough and act on the end 42 of the sleeve valve 42.

annular groove 3th with a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings 81 thercthrough. One or more shear pins 32 are provided, with one shear pin being provided for each opening 81 and extending therethrough to seat in the annular groove 83 in the sleeve valve 42. sembly of the tool, the snap ring 71 will be seated in groove 72, and sleeve 42 will then be telescoped into head portion 26. One ormore shear pins 32 will then be positioned in the openings 81 and rubber band retainer S4 then placed-ingroove 89 This holds the shear rins in position while head portions 25 and 26 are being connected together.

The shear pins 32 will be formedsof azmaterial' of a known shear strength The area of the sleeve valve 42;

exposed to the expanding-or inflating. fiuidrwithin the expandable means 22 is known, and this enables the amount of inflating. fluid to be. exerted onthe expand-' able means to be controlled in that the valve'42 will move only when the pressure exerted in, expandable means 22 thereon exceeds the shear strength of the shear pins 32 and the pressure of the well bore, acting on the,

end 42' of sleeve 42 andrtending to hold it in its position shown in FIG. 2 of therdrawings: When the pressure within the means 22 exceeds the shear strength of the'snear pins 32, the pins will-shear and the-valve 42 fluid within the expandable meansand prevent passage The slceve valve 42 isseated-onsnap. ring 71, and a the snap'ring ll fits in the groove 72 in the portion 25 of the packer head 20; Suitable. means as illustrated generally at 75: are provided for locking or retaining the sleeve valve 42inthis: initial position until a predetermined pressure diflerential exists between the fluid pressure in the well bore 6 and the. fluid pressure. acting in means 22.

In FIG. 4, the means- 75 is shown as including the of further fluid thereinto.

While it is believed that the operation of thepresentinvention is apparent fromthe foregoing description, to

further amplify andidescribe; it' will be assumedthat the tool of; the present invention is'to be operated-in a manner similar to that described in my copending-application. above referred-to. The-present.- toolwill be assembled at the earths surface in-which eventthe valve- 421will 'be insertedinthe portion 260i the head 23 and'shear pins 82 then inserted'through theirrespective openings 81 of grooveill and'retaining band id-placed in the. groove 36 to abut the outerends of the shear pins 82. Since the shear stren-gthof the material-of the shear pins islrnown, the. number of.-shear pins may be varied, thus determining the amount of-pressure diiferential'required to effect movement" of the annular valve 42.

Thus, if it is desired that the valve 42 close when the pressure differential between the pressure of the -well fluid and the fluid pressure in inflating or expanding.

When this occurs, the shear pin, or shear pins, as the case maybe, will shear, and the valve is free tomove longitudinally of the chamber 41. Movement of the sleeve valved-2 positions spaced seals 44 and 45 so as to.

span the openings 01' port means 6% in the tubular member 10. This seals oif communication between the tubular member ll) and the expandable means 22 and locks the expanding fluid within the expandable means 22 and prevents further fluid flow to the expandable means 22.

Also,v when valve 42 moves to the position shown in FIG. 5, the seal means 4-6 and 47 span the opening 64-v inthe sleeve 42 so that pressure in the well borev 6 v is sealed off from passing through the port 64.

' When it is desired to unseat or releasethe expandable means 22 from the well bore: 6, the'tubular member 10 may be rotated to the right so as to unthread the tubular member 10 from the expanded expandable meansv In as- 22 by disengagement at the right-hand releasing connection formed by the threads 32. When this occurs, the tubular member may be moved longitudinally relative to expandable means 22 as shown in FIG. 6 so that the longitudinally extending leak grooves or leak passage means 16 span the lower packer head 21 as shown in FIG. 7 and thereby communicate the interior of the expandable means 22 with the well bore 6 so as to discharge the expanding fluid from the expandable means 22.

Thereupon, the well tool 9 may be removed from the well bore.

The fluid supplied to expand means 22 may be conducted from the earths surface through support means 8 and tubular member 10, or it may be contained within a reservoir on the tool 9.

Broadly, the present invention relates to a well tool, and more particularly to a well tool including a valve arrangement for controlling the inflating fluid pressure or expanding fluid pressure exerted on an expandable member mounted on the well tool by limiting the pressure diflerential between the well bore and expandable means and by locking the expanding fluid in the expandable means after actuation.

What is claimed is:

1. A well tool adapted to be lowered in a well on a string of pipe comprising, a tubular member for connecting to the well pipe, expandable means supported on said member to be expanded in the well, there being an opening in the string of well pipe and in said member whereby fluid may be conducted to expand said expandable means, movable sleeve valve means surrounding said member and normally open for communicating fluid through said opening to said expandable means, shear means to hold said valve in normally open position, said shear means shearing when the expanding fluid pressure reaches a predetermined amount whereby said valve means moves to close ofl communication to said expandable means and lock the expanding fluid therein.

2. The invention recited in claim 1 including releasable means connecting said tubular member and expandable means whereby said tubular member and expandable means may be disconnected from each other for relative movement therebetween.

3. The invention recited in claim 2 including leak passage means on said tubular member which, upon relative movement between said tubular member and said expandable means, communicates said expandable means with the well to discharge the expanding liquid from said means.

4. A well tool adapted to be lowered in a well comprising, a tubular member, expandable means supported on said member to be expanded in the well, there being an opening in said member communicating with said expandable means whereby fluid may be conducted to expand said expandable means, and movable sleeve valve means surrounding said member and normally open for communicating fluid through said opening to said expandable means, shear means to hold said valve in normally open position, said shear means shearing when the expanding fluid pressure reaches a predetermined amount whereby said valve means moves to close ofl communication to said expandable means and lock the expanding fluid therein.

5. The invention recited in claim 4 including releas' able means connecting said tubular member and expandable means whereby said tubular member and expandable means may be disconnected from each other for relative movement therebetween.

6. The invention recited in claim 5 including leak passage means on said tubular member which, upon relative movement between said tubular member and said expandable means, communicates said expandable means with the well to discharge the expanding liquid from said means.

7. An inflatable packer including a pair of spaced heads, an expandable means secured to said heads and extending therebetween, a tubular member for supporting said heads and means in position on a well string, there being port means in said tubular member whereby fluid may be conducted to said expandable means to expand said expandable means, an annular movable sleeve valve means in one of said heads surrounding said tubular member, seal means between said valve and said tubular member and between said valve and said head, there being port means in said head for communicating pressure in the well to act on said sleeve valve means, shear means connecting said sleeve valve means in said head in normally open position, said valve means being exposed to the expanding fluid in said expandable means whereby said shear means may be sheared when the pressure differential between the expanding fluid and the well fluid acting on said sleeve valve reaches a predetermined amount to thereby shift said valve means to close off communication between said port means in said tubular member and said expandable means and lock the expanding fluid in said expandable means.

8. The invention recited in claim 7 including releasable means connecting said tubular member and expandable means whereby said tubular member and expandable means may be disconnected from each other for relative movement therebetween.

9. The invention recited in claim 8 including leak passage means on said tubular member which, upon relative movement between said tubular member and said expandable means, communicates said expandable means with the well to discharge the expanding liquid from said means.

10. The invention recited in claim 7 wherein said shear means includes shear pins of predetermined shear strength positioned in said head and engaged in a corresponding recess in said sleeve valve.

11. The invention recited in claim 10 wherein the pressure differential between the well fluid and expanding fluid at which said valve becomes operative to lock the expanding fluid in said means may be varied by varying the number of said shear pins to increase and decrease the differential as desired.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,523,286 Railsback Jan. 13, 1925 1,896,482 Cr-owell Feb. 7, 1933 2,633,916 Baker et a1. Apr. 7, 1953 2,903,066 Brown Sept. 8, 1959 2,982,358 Brown May 2, 1961 2,994,378 Reistle Aug. 1, 1961 2,998,075 Clark Aug. 29, 1961 3,035,639 Brown et al. May 22, 1962 

4. A WELL TOOL ADAPTED TO BE LOWERED IN A WELL COMPRISING, A TUBULAR MEMBER, EXPANDABLE MEANS SUPPORTED ON SAID MEMBER TO BE EXPANDED IN THE WELL, THERE BEING AN OPENING IN SAID MEMBER COMMUNICATING WITH SAID EXPANDABLE MEANS WHEREBY FLUID MAY BE CONDUCTED TO EXPAND SAID EXPANDABLE MEANS, AND MOVABLE SLEEVE VALVE MEANS SURROUNDING SAID MEMBER AND NORMALLY OPEN FOR COMMUNICATING FLUID THROUGH SAID OPENING TO SAID EXPANDABLE MEANS, SHEAR MEANS TO HOLD SAID VALVE IN NORMALLY OPEN POSITION, SAID SHEAR MEANS SHEARING WHEN THE EXPANDING FLUID PRESSURE REACHES A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT WHEREBY SAID VALVE MEANS MOVES TO CLOSE OFF COMMUNICATION TO SAID EXPANDABLE MEANS AND LOCK THE EXPANDING FLUID THEREIN. 